Tim Thomas On Kobe Battles, Untold Iverson, Steve Nash & Ray Allen Stories | Ep 224 | ALL THE SMOKE

[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] tournament time is here and there's nothing like basketball in March tons of tournament games with high stakes and high drama all competing to cut down the Nets as national champs and thanks to our partners at DraftKings it's about to get even bigger all new customers who bet just $5 will get $150 in bonus bets instantly want to know what you can do with your $150 in bonus bets stand on the action and use your bonus bets on draftking same game parlays for a shot at an even bigger payout you fill out your bracket place your bets and SE will rise to the top with draftking Sportsbook download the draftking Sportsbook app now sign up using promo code SM and bet just $5 on any wager and get $150 in bonus bets instant that's promo code smoke only a draft King sports book The Crown is yours welcome back all the Smoke New York in y Jack has been a good run it's snowing out here we got uh we got a good one my brother first of all before we even shout him out he's got some water that he's partnered with drink RX yes fire water yes sir man welcome to the show Tim Thomas appreciate you man TT 96 in this [ __ ] 96 yeah [ __ ] that was just that that is that myad is that the double shot you saying yeah they kicked in instantly turn up [ __ ] you mean turn up yeah turn up 96 in his [ __ ] Jack 96 all all jokes aside 96 is argu be one of the the the the best classes you know the league is seen when did you first hear about Tim Thomas and see him in person good question Matt I I first heard about Tim Thomas in the 10th grade um I was this the first time you in the 10th grade or second time first this first time first time first time now you always on it crazy I love it the first time and uh I was doing a lot of Nike camps but I was getting the chance I got the opportunity to go play at Adidas M and well to go not even play just to go and that's why I seen all the players that was ahead of me you know what I'm saying I seen I knew Jermaine but I got a chance to see Tim I got a chance to see Tracy I got chance to see Kobe I got a chance to see all these people you know I'm saying before I actually played against them and um I went home with my confidence shot I can't lie because you know they was 610 bringing the ball up the court windmilling crossing over you know I'm I'm working on my bad getting my handle together at 68 so so you know they was he was just he was just one of those guys that him and Jermaine on nil and Kobe like those guys were you saw it guaranteed to go to the NBA and they probably could have went out the 11th grade wow yeah Tim um obviously your versatility I feel like was ahead of its time uh your game was ahead of its time uh but before we even get to that was you getting nil before ni yeah um I mean to be honest when you look at it right it's like all of us back then had either some type of deal with the shoe brand right so it was either I was a Adidas baby right so it was either Adidas or Nike wherever you went camp and you killed and stuff you had some type of deal you know with with that brand so for me I was Adidas baby we my high school was sponsored by Adidas so when you look at it in hindsight it it was you know in I but outside of that was you cuz I mean I know obviously going into college and now it's you know it's nil and it's okay to pay players but there was money floating around back then were you getting like money money or was it just product nah um so I went to a Nike school okay so I went to Nova that's a Nike school so obviously we all had that that was at that level had offers where we could have went places and got you know different bags of money you know to go to that University but um that was one of the reasons why I also chose Nova they allowed me to play the three and it was nothing tricky about it you know saying because I already knew I was a pro I was like you know and we had guys before us that we had a chance to see the Chris weers and stuff like that when you get in trouble the university is gonna You Know cover their own ass you know so who's the last 61 three guard 611 three guard two you talking about small four maybe Jan yeah yeah Kin I'm trying to think who whoever played the three Kevin Durant Now Kevin Durant Kevin Durant what was mow what was Melo Melo ain't your height 68 68 though my height that's normal to be the wing though but you normally your height nor your height is is the four right but your versatility had you at the two or three right right where did uh I mean talk to us about your upbringing and about your game and and I know you you grew fast like you was a big [ __ ] early talk to us about your upbringing in the hoop game and just you know as you continue to grow your game continue to grow yeah so I grew up in patteron New Jersey we had guys like Roy Sparrow uh Dwight Wilbur um James Scott James hard a bunch of guys before me that you know played um you know big time high school basketball and then went on to play college basketball so uh Roy Sparrow um so I had a chance to watch them right and then any opportunity I got a chance to be around them I was trying to find those guys they was at the Y they was playing in the projects wherever I was going you know um to the point where I kind of aggravated them so they had to like you know get me in the mix like how old were you at this age like early was um no I was 11 11 12 damn you know yeah those um I was I was a short I had a girl spur like seventh eth grade so you went from what to what I went from probably like um probably about 5'9 to like 62 and then I jumped from like 62 to like 67 and then at that point I started drinking coffee I started going to dunk of Donuts to get coffee to stump my growth you so you didn't want to be T cuz I had it I had everything you wanted to stay in want to stay kind of in that prototypical box so to speak exactly exactly so I started going getting coffee and then it was like this [ __ ] was trying not to grow yeah yeah that's real [ __ ] Cofe put you Cofe I got a family full of people that drink coffee so they got different you know opinions about what it does to so I started drinking coffee man try to stop my growth a little bit [ __ ] and God was like no we going to keep going so I just kept going and I kept the with right right right speak to us about Sunny vicero was that your Adidas guy yeah Sunny was sunny sunny was that guy so um I was part of that that crew of babies that all went to Adidas you know um that was you ma me ma Cole um uh I'm going blank Jermaine was first there it was a bunch of us man Antoine Walker um so many different guys Sunny's a great dude I mean I got a chance to meet Sunny early on and then I saw the air movie where he kind of started with Nike and his vision to get MJ and all that but just speak to the to the person because I don't think he necessar gets his flowers as kind of a pillar for high school basketball and what he does for guys and then obviously you know what he's done in the in the shoe brand man he's like the Godfather of it all you know um if he spoke about you that meant everything stamped yeah so he can tell you know a college coach he could tell the NBA you know Scout yo two years three years you know Stephen Jackson three years and this done deal you know and then on the on the flip side with the business stuff obviously he did the Jordan stuff the Nike stuff MH so he was way ahead of his curve with you know Finding Talent um but you know for me man that was that was everything being able to go to um you know ABCD Camp play against the top you know guys you know get a chance to see them figure out what you got to you know um go develop on you know develop the game with a little bit more to to kind of catch them or whatever the case may be but it was everything he had a relationship with all of us like I'm I'm going go tell you how great crazy relationship was I come out of we graduated 96 they he go to college some of us go to the league but I bounce around a little bit when I first get back to the NBA soon as I get in the league I get a call from Sunny we giving you a six-year deas deal you know what I'm saying I I had fell off the map for a minute you know what I'm saying but he he don't forget his people dog don't forget his people at all have you guys had Sunny up here no we got to get him I got his number I'll call him yes sir I'll call him we Ain got to ask the question at the end say we have a question at the end hey but look um being the businessman I am I got to get in on that but listen I know the people will want to you know they got to hear a story yeah yeah especially after seeing air and then everyone everyone I've always talked to that he Sunny has put his hands on there always done nothing but spoke well about sunny sunny B Caro not Sunny Hill oh whoa whoa whoa whoa nah he the reason why I lost the allstar in the championship game in I remember McDonald oh that was a dude from Philly right you got to get the know the OG is is good people yeah he did me wrong you know I'm Philly Philly is like my second home that was big for me though T understand understand yeah that was big to me he screwed me he took the MVP from him yeah shaheim was his guy that's his dog that's his baby that was an in-house yeah that's his baby now I can be bu you know Sha's you know doing his thing that's my brother he's here in Jersey you know sh have a good game you know what's funny was you know we talked about it when we asked when we asked co co thought Jack won the MVP he should have he should have Co was right second person and and and hold up but but that's the that's the top two players in our class that said that though not 13 and 15 this the top two players in my class that just said that y'all let me let me let me since we on that let me let me go to something that um a lot of people been trying to ask me of late about that game right so if you remember the game right it was it was you know everything now is opinion based right so it's like yo if you like Burger King I like you know Chick-fil-A whatever right so when it comes to one and two with that opinion with me and Cole right obviously K G just came out and said something about um I was the the I was Fit already coming out of high school to be you know to go pro right body and all that kind of stuff so that year obviously when I got hurt at ABCD Kobe you know took over the number one rank which was well deserving of right um but I wanted to show that I was just a tad bit at that point tad bit ahead of what was going on you know just in general like it's me then down you know what I'm saying so if you remember the first maybe five six minutes of that game you go back and check it out I just destroyed I just destroyed you know what I was planning on doing I was planning on announcing that I was going to go pro right if the scouts would have changed their mind within that five six minute really cuz history would have been changed I hit him with two cuz I would have been I would have been right that year the high school guys that was coming out me Co and Jer O'Neil I was goingon to be the first one pick at 13th which would have been Charlotte right I didn't go coob went 13th Charlotte made the trade L For Life all you know what I'm saying so history would have been wow yeah just a little something so what so no I mean let's elaborate on that further so what you you did your thing obviously that first five six minutes what what made you go to Villanova what made you decide to let me take one more year under my belt before I make this jump but once I got the first sub in the game my my my guy went over and asked the scouts like does anything does anything change or shift and it was like you know right now everyone's saying 13 so you wanted to be higher than 13 I wanted to be top 10 I wanted to be top 10 what you were looking for yeah that's what I was that was my goal be top 10 if I'm Not Top 10 even 13 ain't enough I'm going to go to school for a year exactly I want to be top 10 and I'm just gonna say this just my opinion you were the best person best player in class of 96 Kobe ended up being better than all of us and have a better career but in 96 you were the best player in our class dog by far J J was close cuz he could do a lot at seven foot you know what I'm saying but you were the best player in our class dog it wasn't even close to me 61 guard yeah can do everything we was doing yep yep yep you got a curly top too n it was it was dry it was it was it was some pretty Bo [ __ ] Dr it was dry it was very dry it looked like that but it was dry it was dry remember bro I'm I'm from passing New Jersey have good hair wet but it was dry what I'm saying that was the thing we always was rocking the fro man back then uh High School coach now I don't want to butcher the name how you say the school Name pamis Catholic pamis Catholic right heard y are kind of kind of going through it right now but what is what is that experience like to give back and and and be a part of encouraging and motivating this next Generation I've been doing it for 27 years on my Au program so um I coached uh in a small school in California for three years after retiring um where at where was that at um uh Faith Baptist right there in kog that's in the valley you know to live in Hidden Hills I didn't know that I was in Hill was quiet told you that's him bro you'll never know where he yeah I know I know know I know he was that trust me yeah I was hey Jack you know me right jack be like yo can you come to dinner with me please up bro never know where he at dog y but yeah um so I coached out there for um three years and obviously my Au program being around the teaching um when I had the chance to um it was just like second nature you know wanting to get involved um being back home um so you know I I dove into that game as far as you know coaching high school ball it's been tough for us this year because my thing is this right we come from an era where we always trying to find who The Big Dog in that room I'm g go after them that's our era right these kids now is like they don't want to compete you know to to put a stand on their own name like they they wanted to be kind of given right so you got all of the camps a world and all that kind of stuff the elite is always going to stand out you know but for me with the young group that I got I put them in the toughest situation possible right so we we scheduled all the top teams in the state of New Jersey and New York you know and we even played a a tough team uh from Canada so they're going through that process now of learning how to compete you know you know learning how to just trust each other you know and just jail you know how it is as a team and and and get to the point where it's like ah this is second nature we know this person like to do this he likes to do this this is what's going to make us go this is what's going to hold us back all of those kind of things so once we get to that point we got a young crew you know bunch of Juniors uh we got two seniors on the team so when we get to that point where they fully understand it maybe another summer click we yeah we'll be we'll be we be right where we want to be and in the future we always waiting for the who's next Tim Thomas players that's something you've been you said 27 years in in counting uh why was it important for you to start a Au program um when I was coming up I had a chance to you know start traveling because of the game of basketball at the age of like 10 you know just playing in different events different camps all of those kind of things um so for for me um once once I you know you know have some success with the game being able to uh you know give back was everything and that was part of it I had I had the Adidas deal um and then you know in the Summers they'll give you after your season with any contract they'll give you a certain amount of merchandise that you got to spend through your friends family or whatever so I had like 300K in merchandise that I had to spend each summer so I didn't I didn't know how to give it away fast enough right so I was like you know what let's just start you know um a program and I started the program and it's been successful so any pros come through there 28 of them wow going on the Instagram Tim Thomas players 28 Pros 28 Pros 20 McDonald's all Americans and sent about 15,000 kids off the college over the for them ging basketball that don't get discussed enough that's man that's all bro that's dope salute for that for sure been blessed blessed every year millions of people fill out a bracket for March Madness but did you know the chance of getting perfect bracket is one in 120 billion so I'm going to submit my inevitably broken bracket to coorslight.com March Hoops predicting a perfect bracket is damn near 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know about the McDonald's game uh we had a practice and I'm see you remember this mhm and we all just happy to be there but this goes to Kobe Brian just goes to talk about Kobe bro we supposed to be going through a walk through walk a walkthr key word walk through they pass Kobe the ball he rips through on Rip Hamilton dog and we all just really standing there and Bo like I was under the basket this a walk through bro I was under the I I almost kind of took it person I'm like bro it's a walk through see him flying like what are you doing it's a walk through bro he's like no we got to get ready for game tomorrow he dead I he was dead serious dog to the point where we end up scrimmaging yep it supposed to be a walk through we end up playing but I feel like that walk that that that scrimmage was probably more popular that scrimm was fire yeah it was it was really take it personal and practice well because it it it was him and J matched up it was rip and uh and Kobe it was me and uh um jald Brown it was um Eda and Shaheen matched up and it was uh J and Vos I think if I'm not mistaken V Lauren Woods one of them yeah some yeah so but the scrimmage is crazy yeah it was it was tough we knew we was going to beat the West I'm sorry just going to say that bro we had the top three players on our team how could we lose yeah we had Kobe Jermaine and Tim bro it was no way we was losing that game we win by by 20 wasn't even close wasn't even close I let the game scoring because they was watching them three so I had to do was run around team huh B on the west and Shaheen was hitting him with an in- and- out every time he Mike Mike don't want to talk about that but it's on film Shaheen came down every play am I lying and was W [ __ ] the [ __ ] out of Mike every play every play and that's why it looked like he won the MVP cuz he was [ __ ] Mike up yeah sha was difficult sha was difficult I had to play against him in high you know where he had just free reign like actually we just played his high school last night lost to his high school last night St Pat shout out to them but um he he was vicious man he was a dog man and that's why all of his his college teams play just like him they have that that personality and that's what I'm trying to you know instill into my kids yeah absolutely was what exactly is the greatest team ever assembled Tim Kobe Vince and rip a team a oh yeah by far about that by far I mean listen I was you know just trying to establish myself right I had no chance I had no like real thought that you know rip would come up from Philly to play with me a guy from Florida and Vince Carter would come up to Jersey to play with me a guy by the name of Kobe Bryant would come to Jersey and play with and him and rip was Rivals yeah a guy by the name of Kevin Freeman you know come right big strong mother right would come you know and play with me we had Edmond Saunders we had uh Anthony Perry that went to um he went to Georgetown but he went to um he played at St Anthony's so we had a we had a bunch of studs right and you know there's a clip I got to send it to you guys but Kobe you know he mentioned it we was beating people by 50 60 points we the reason why like now when you go to like some of these a events or some of these high school events that they're playing in college you know gyms and stuff like that we won we won um backtack Au national championships wow and we was playing at you know universities Florida State out yeah did y play against the church Riverside it was nobody on the East Coast that could do anything it was good though bro good they was good I'm not going to say that I mean you see those four [ __ ] names right there n you want to tell them who was on the church Lamar what's some name but I'm just I'm talking about the greatest team though yeah but that's around the same time same year still document you can look it up it's still there we still on the list it's number one yeah they was number one but that church team was scary too do there was a lot of great teams like that that you know salute to all of them but you got to just think at the times like think about what you seen with Vince Vince was I was I was witnessing Vince doing that early yeah the world on later yeah yeah like that we was like how when he came up to play with us how imag of the stuff you see is like all the little mixtapes they have now if there was a social media era back when that team was together it would have been crazy your mixt would have been crazy B his life and all that kind [ __ ] yeah I'm still seeing his old old mixtapes like can you imagine this in high school right I don't see nothing like this in high school right now no I don't even see it like in college and barely in the pros p tolds a story about Kobe wanting to kill you during a game when you were 16 you know we all know Kobe had that kill list and you definitely was on there J was on there rip was on there did he ever talk to you about that n i mean I know the game that um that rip is talking about so that was our junior year um I went back cuz baseball was my first love before I started growing so my junior year I went back and played baseball I did to Michael Jordan went back and played baseball Co that year Co and um rip went back to play with they Philly in coille right so obviously you meet in all these different circuits so I told the guys I said we both was in in this in this um one circuit together so I said listen if you guys make it to the championship game I'll dve down and I'll play but I'm still in baseball season so they made it to the championship game and it just so happened to be coob and RI and that's the game that coob I mean that rip is talking about um so the game was in Maryland at the University of Maryland I just told you we we was was playing at these um these colleges the game was there so I drove from Jersey to Maryland I got there end of the First Co already had like 15 right so now I'm behind the eightball with an assassin like that what are you going to do right so I'm already behind the eightball right so I walk in like shepher like I'm just right out the car said like ship Oh Ship I walk right in right from the car right in I'm right on the court so I'm playing catchup so Cole probably finished the game with 40 something I probably finish the game with 30 something oh yeah yeah yeah yeah that's how the game went they won the game that's how it went yeah you know so we don't play the same position right so the matchups we're probably never gonna match up against each other um and then our senior year in high school because we was both number one number two in the country two hours away from each other everyone was trying to make a game you know that high school game and missg wanted it at the time the metal lands where you played they wanted it any University would have took it you know U we just couldn't make the game you know Cole played um he played St Anthony's in Jersey more than he he would well I never played against him in high school but he played St Anthony's I think twice or three times you know from Jersey you see how these high school games being televised these they just imagas Kobe Bryant so you know Melo Melo and LeBron was the first ones um that would have been probably me and Cole oill the oill yeah yeah I had the same type of feeling when I saw you when I was saw you playing like he in high school same age and he doing that J even had said that when he saw you who was it anybody that when you first seen him being most people being all when they see you at your size have you ever seen somebody I'm like damn I ain't like playing when you first got in the NBA like damn I I thought I was tall first in the NBA yeah when she first got in the league Hey listen my my um my first game my first preseason game was against MJ at at uh Carolina so that was like that was a thrill for me um you know cuz Scotty was my OG so in high school Scotty would they would come to town Scotty would you know send for me and stuff like that so I was around all of those Knicks Bulls rivalries you know um the the Bulls Nets games all of that kind of stuff with Kenny and Derek colan and all those guys DC yeah so I was I was around that as a youngster seeing all of that you know you know so when I first got to the league it was like obviously you're around all your your your role models right you know guys you look up to and now you you you in it so it's like yo I'm I feel like I'm a part of this I'm here I've been blessed with the talent so you know now it's time to you know get after it you know what I mean so yeah I mean using all my my first game against those guys um you know seeing my idol on the court and and stuff like that like with MJ and you know obviously playing against pip that meant the world to me and then my second game was was against my New York Knicks you know I grew up a Knicks fan so now I'm in Nassau playing against Pat Yuan and and Allen Houston and spree you know what I mean so it's like hey I'm in now New Jersey basketball has never been anything to slouch at maybe over looked at times but the greats of like you know yourself Shaq Kyrie Irving uh cat J.R Smith talk about just the pedigree you mentioned the ogs before you but since then uh you know the talent that's come out of New Jersey hold on let me give my to Earl MH Isaiah Brisco yeah can't forget to backto back Champs too got a jersey too that's Jersey Boys too now yeah yeah yeah yeah n man I mean we just listen we're we're we're top 10 in the country and states right that produced the most uh NBA you know Pros I would go put higher than that go yeah right Texas is up there C's up there um you know we we right next to New York so a lot of times we don't get the proper respect you know that's due because obviously you know Citys yeah you know what I'm saying it's the you know the um the media you know capital or whatever so but overall man we have some Talent man and I obviously I'm GNA be biased I mean I think Jersey basketball players are better right we can shoot the ball do you know some of the same things that they can do but most those guys thereo what's that that's the difference y'all can shoot that's that's what all do all do respect y'all can shoot difference but I mean it it's it's it's just like listen we we have to get out just du all right as Jersey we can't keep just talking about New York we right here 15 minutes apart from each other show us some love n for real show us some love everybody one and done at Villanova uh the number seven pick so you wanted to be top 10 you got that you're drafted to the Sixers that's a team with Stackhouse a young AI uh Larry Brown's first year coaching uh what was your welcome to the just the league you know obviously being the Top Dog in high school one did your thing in college now you're playing with the likes of Allen Iverson and Jerry stas who was a dog and then you know a legendary coach and Larry Brown yeah I mean it I was playing for a real real old school coach yes you know he just was on the rookies all day all night you know so it was more of the the mental part of it I had to get through with him talent wise obviously I was blessed with that right so I wasn't really concerned with that um playing with AI obviously I was able to run the floor and do those things so I was able to keep up stack house is a monster as well um I was comfortable because um we also had Derek colan on that team who's the power forward but I was small forward was guys that I figured I can I can beat out who was that you know was it Aaron mcke there uh no Aaron mcke came later um at that time you had um uh haris Grant brother um Harve Harvey Grant MH you know guys was a little older so you felt like you know at some point that's going to be mine yeah yeah so you was comfortable being a power for then I was comfortable going in at the four and and the and the three you know so because of the skill set right so um but the the the mental games was was the stuff that you know when you play for a old school coach that's basically trying to run you through a wall and you're not going to give up you know they just keep going and going and going so it was more of the mental stuff me and I always talk about that every time we talk it's like man I hate what lb did to you but you know you coming from the city you coming from the hood that that type stuff yeah it's I mean you spoke to the mental side and I feel like once you get to the league the mental side is it period how long do you feel like you had a a grasp was it through your first year first two or three years like when do you feel like you got a hold of the mental side of the game um I would say I would say probably like 20 games into the season okay so it came quick yeah because for me obviously what lb like I was P I was working out 40 minutes before practice practice two two and a half hours that was back when it real practice Yeah you know what I'm saying ready to go yeah you practice you know two two and a half or whatever and then when practice over guys are shooting around working on different stuff they want to work on they got me still doing drills you know so my days was like I was just drained basketball so once I got like in tiptop shape you know what I mean which is really after your third day cuz we was going real two of these right so after that third day it's like you seeing vets like yo I'm taking it easy I'm not scrimmaging today blah blah and I'm just going through this same cycle where this guy trying to you know run you through a wall and I'm like all right you know after that that first taste of you know getting in the game and feeling you know how strong other guys are how fast they are you know their skill set because you still trying to you know figure all that stuff out probably 20 Gam in I I was cool locked in uh trade to Milwaukee in the middle of your second year uh your initial reaction to the trade hated it I love thank you I'm not the only one that died and came back to life when I left Milwaukee so well I'm not I'm not saying about the city I mean they love you out there by the way I just out there I gave him the name tril walk it wasn't the city it's the teaming with Scott scy it wasn't a city the city is oh you dealt with Scott scy [ __ ] did I dealt with him in Chicago I understand that yeah got I understand that definitely not Trill walking yeah I understand that okay okay yeah um but for me I I I hated the trade because I was I was seeing my pairs in situations where they was able to go establish themselves you know what I mean so like I'm seeing Vince I'm seeing tmac I'm seeing Jermaine you know come out of his situation go to so I'm like you know yes this is a good team everyone wants to win a champ Championship so when when you're young you ain't thinking you ain't thinking like that right so I'm like man I'm seeing these guys doing anything and I'm like I don't want to play behind big dog who's a Allstar yeah I don't want to play behind Ray Allen who's trying to establish hisself right I don't want to be with a two-time NBA champion and Sam Cassel you know not thinking you young so I actually I actually try to get traded to Indiana this during the same period right cuz you know they give you that 24 hours when you get traded to get to the next city I was actually trying to get traded to Indiana but they loved our young boy Al Harton they was like no we got Al and Jonathan Bender so we don't want to make the trade but I just looked at it as that like I was just being young you know immature and was like I want my own thing or be a part of something and I thought the Philly thing was perfect because you got to remember they traded stack house midseason so now I'm looking at it like I'm a score Chuck a score you know we don't play the same position so we not going to clash you know what I mean so the Milwaukee thing I was kind of set back a little bit but once I realized like what George was trying to do and the team that we had and possibly a winning I was locked in at that point it said that you guys you and big dog went at it yeah a few times that's my guy I love big dog I know that that know that match up in practice was yeah yeah so again me being young with my own situation whatever whatever as a starter whatever obviously you know how it goes in the league the money guys is GNA play before the talent even if the talent is you know better whatever whatever I just felt like that right obviously big dog was our guy right we had to lean on him for 20 some points a game whatever he was averaging but that was just the the young en iny just bringing it out like yo I got to show these guys that I belong right so everybody had big threes and all that nah this ain't a big three situation this big four you got to include TT you got you got you got to include TT on this one and that's what it was they respected me and the reason why we was clashing because we was comp in the same position competitive you know and I won at that time yeah so sharpen on talk about that team though I mean again that's a a younger Ray Allen who people forget who was cod as the mother [ __ ] no matter what Jack says uh a young you a young or no not a young but big dog who's obviously the vet on that team and then Sam am I mean that's a hell of a team right there and then George Carl's braining around that team I mean you guys obviously found your mark hit your chemistry and made it to the the Conference Finals and you know Big Dog missed that shot at the buzzer it's okay to tell our audience I cooked a lot of them [ __ ] yeah definitely it's okay I I want you to tell them cuz it seem like I'm patting myself on the back all the time why don't you tell them I'll pass I bust a lot of y'all [ __ ] ass yeah that's okay tell talk that [ __ ] uh talk to us about that wacko Jacko some things don't never change gu he's been that way since forever forever my dog that Conference Finals an 01 though you know big dog misses the shot at the buzzer that's your guys's opport against Philly against Chuck yeah how tough was that for you it was it was tough because um you know anytime you get trade from a team and obviously you want you go back you want to showcase you know your talent and and you know it's like breaking up with a girl you want to show them what you got you know what you had what you missing all that kind of stuff right um but it it was tough man because that's when I obviously I knew Chuck I knew his talent and everything but that's when I really like had opportunity to like soak it all in on how great that dude was you know what I mean because that team wasn't very talented that he had it it wasn't a talented team it was not a tal and with with George right you know when George was in Seattle he was a defensive minded coach and Milwaukee we changed him into a offensive minded coach yeah cuz they had so many weapons yeah so what killed us was the fact that we had a older Sam that couldn't keep up with AI we had a bigger Ray that you know he's he it took a lot out of of him to play both ends right you know so you want him to score you can't have him chasing yeah you know um big dog just wasn't quick enough right so there's pictures that I'll send that guess who had to guard AI 611 611 10 times good luck with that right right so it came down to that and then like just to to talk about his greatness is like he was scoring and you know now they say all three levels he was scoring all three levels he was getting to the basket he was shooting short little faded that was almost like post UPS like he'll drive to one spot and just pull up you know what I mean so that was almost like a postup like a Kobe fade or MJ fade right um and then he was hitting the three ball right and then and then the other thing was he was always going to the basket so he was getting to the fre throw yeah so a lot of people they talk about that series and say you guys should have won but the NBA cheated y'all because they got to the free throw line as many times they did but when you go back and look at it it's like yo that guy was going wherever he wanted to go get a shot off you either going to foul him or you going to score I think they was a better matchup y was a better match up for the finals for the Lakers too yeah so that y would have gave him [ __ ] problems who was who was your Center uh Earl Johnson EJ right Johnson Scott Williams yep they was solid Jason Cy but there was definitely that whisper that that that the league wanted Iverson versus Shack Kobe yeah I mean you got to think about it that year AI was MVP uh Aaron mck was six man the year uh L Brown was coach of the year yeah and Matumbo was the defensive play play year lot of accolades so set the stage yeah it's already set and Milwaukee's a smaller uh media Market yeah it was know I mean so it was just like not to take nothing away from Philly but I definitely remember that and it's funny you even said it before I even asked it so yeah and then that year to go back to what you was saying Jack like that year we swept the Lakers that year oh really the Lakers wow y that that was um because we George knew how to double shot so we you know most most people double on the catch D we was dou that when it was in the air yeah when it was in the air go get him you might catch your elbow but go yeah but but but then again you got to think though when they switching out of rotation they got a 69ine and big dog a 611 Ro you know what I'm saying they got big [ __ ] rot I'm say young that's what I'm saying and you know playing you know on the East Coast or in the city you know how to kind of close out cuz everybody's attacking the basket so that's like second nature to you know all of us up this way you know Nicks the Knicks can you dive into the Fat Joe visit 50 Cent beef I know you you know you real cool with 50 I'm really I'm real cool with Joe but me and 50 didn't had me and 50 didn't have some conversation I bumped into him on the plane he's somebody me and Matt look up to somebody we want to have on the show cuz you got the contact on him too talk about talk about getting caught up go ahead what you say no I was just going to say did it did was I mean obviously again with you know alliances amongst the team with the beef that's in the streets of New York like did that draw like did that divide the team or was there any kind of fun before you start though and me and you both know this was real beef yeah this wasn't no beef where y'all get on songs and talk about each other now these this was real beef dog this is real beef where you was hoping that they didn't bump into each other yeah let me um let me uh take a swig first yeah let me get some of my some of your I don't drink hydrate some of your yeah let me get some of my vodka RX go get it Tim Thomas on water RX drink RX yeah drink RX you know what I'm saying yeah so so that um that was that was real man it was like for me right I I played for Fat Joe in the Rucker t squad right me and Steph grew up together and all of that so I was I was already had a relationship with most of everybody from teror Squad you know because obviously you see him in the park and stuff like that right and shout out to everybody on you know um the team but you know back then like fifth was my guy so I was rocking with fifth so they had the office directly across the street from the garden y so instead of some nights instead of going out to eat I would just he would have food already go over there and eat you know just chill out whatever whatever so those was my guys we just click right so not knowing like you know how the [ __ ] you know start and how you get involved or whatever the politics of yeah so you know in the rap world is what it is right so um when it hit man it was It was kind of weird because um you don't really know the ins and outs of it all but you could just start feeling like different Vibes around people that you grew up with like me and Steph like we you know we cool been talking of late but we're on a team together and I'm rocking with gun and he's rocking with ter Squad so you know it wasn't things like me and him trying to like get at each other on a daily basis it wasn't energ was off though it the energy was off like these are two guys that grew up we went to Five Star together all these different camps and stuff like I know his brothers you know all of that I even played with gaos one time a lot of people don't even know that like me him Felipe sham we all rocked out one time you know in the circuit so like there's genuine love there you know what I mean so but on the court it show you know it'll be you know low pass I'm six low pass late pass you know stuff like that and then you know when happens sometimes you got to take it on your own hand so you'll get a rebound bring it up go do your own thing so it showed on the court it show it definitely showed on the court um with with them two with fif and and Fat Joe going at it I mean it it just took you know a spin here in the city CU it was just everyone knew what it was you know what I'm saying and you had to pick a side yeah yeah it took it took a crazy spin you know in the city and it was like you know you had um certain rappers you know trying to pick sides with you know with people and stuff just so they can kind of stay out of the clear what they was doing at whatever particular time whatever so yeah it took a spin man definitely took a spin I mean outside of that what was it like to be you know you're from Jersey what was it like to be a Nick it was everything man two-time Nick that was everything man um I I remember like yesterday shout out to my my brother uh Cino Moi you know cat love that's my dog man the the first one the first trade um I was I was we was with the Clippers and we you know we had a pretty decent team um I had signed with them after playing with um with the with the Phoenix but um cat came out um with with me with that trade so when we got to New York you know you go through your um your physical and stuff and they found out he had the the heart M and stuff so he was his career was done so I'm excited on being home but we get traded in and he's done so that was like you know that was a dull moment right there um but you know once once you get to you know suiting it up and being in that locker room and playing in the in that Garden it's nothing like it man it's not like it especially for a kid you know in in this area you landed in with the signs in in 2006 give us some Steve Nash um stores Steve n you that was both he he won MVP those two years right you were there Year yes I was there I was there uh the second one second year old he the one he wasn't supposed to win well opinion based however you put it Kobe based yeah I'm saying opinion base n he was on his team t stop it however you want to put it man I love my brother Kobe I'm just saying however you want put it man it's opinion based okay okay so just let me ask you this I mean to cut your question off so you think he deserved winning back to back coob had the better year we know that but who's voting me and you hell no we a we know that we ain't voting we know that we ain't voting for sure but hey it is what it is man some people like numbers you know what I'm saying his percentage or whatever I mean he he was my vet I love Steve n he was my vet when I got drafted I think did a lot for me as far as um cuz I was getting cut they drafted me and told me I was getting cut but he made me feel like I was a part of the team the little short time I was there and um gave me a lot of game but talk give me some Steve Nash stories because you you had a chance to see him at his best man we um one of the funniest stories with Steve uh we went back to Canada you know Steve's from Canada we went back to Canada and um I think we was there like two days normally you know you're in and out so we had to stay over or whatever was this still to this Vancouver or Toronto this is um Toronto okay Toronto Toronto so um we over there and Steve had like I think it was his birthday or something um but he had just non-stop events or whatever so we going from restaurant to restaurant bar to bar club to Club whatever whatever and um in the midst of us traveling we get stuck in the elevator it's like half the team we get stuck in the elevator for like 45 minutes so you know start getting hot guys start getting you know start feeling it and um Steve was just cool as a fan right and then all of a sudden you know it's cold so everybody got coats on and stuff so all St he just start coming out of all this stuff like and everybody's like what's going on he's said man I can't take it I can't take it so you know the hair you gotta wipe the head sweat all crazy so that that was one of the funniest moments when because I always seen him on the court just being cool you know all the time but um nah man such a such a competitor man he was um you know I played with some great Gods step AI Sam um be with Steve man he was a guy that you like outside the Shaq you had to double you had to double because he was gonna make something happen or he was gonna knock it down so yeah he loved the pass that's my guy though lik the score he loved the pass super cool off the court though if you had a chance to hang with him off the court you got a whole different Outlook St yeah he's a brother he's a brother fact Steve is a brother that's my brother what's up brother down 32 in game six versus the Lakers you you had a clut three and you're the win of the series walk us through that man I um that was contract well that series though it was contract it was contract year um that was my my first and only time competing against show made some money too [ __ ] you made some bread boy don't don't you know I like the um but yeah that was a contract GI for me um and then obviously um playing against my brother Cole right so I never got a chance to play against him in in the playoffs and I just knew the the the mental Warfare that was going to be there like Co loved to play those games with those he loved you know I mean you know he'll say hi to you or do something stupid before the game or not even speak to you you know just to you know let you know what type of day it was going to be but um uh that that was that was that was a thrill to be you know part of that series um the way it was um with us being down and and fighting back but that that play that you're talking about um it was scramble mode right so our best shooter Steve missed the first three right we was able to get that rebound uh I think Boris deow you guys just talking about had all that game I think he took the second three and missed that one and then Shawn Maran got the rebound and kicked it to me so you know we all know tendencies in the game so um as the ball was coming towards me I seen kwami brown running towards me so we know he's going for every pump fake possible so and then I was knocking it down so well that series um it was just small pump fake was wide open you know scramble mode you got to shoot it you know you can't you know try to hold it and look for somebody else time's going down so you got to let it go so I just shot the boy with confidence man I was shooting well that series what would he do in today's game him I be different he can play one through five I just see myself when I watch today's game you know it's just guys 610 61 skill set you know obviously a ton of expectations coming to League you have a you know a great 13-year career when you get a chance to kind of sit back and look at the friendships the games the money the experience the fun what do you what do you how do you bottle your career up what do you think about I think I had a great one man I had a great one um you know first of all to be blessed to be in that situation not too many of us that that you know get a chance to make it to that to that uh situation there playing at the highest level um so I was I was you know I was blessed to be you know a part of it um I had some great experiences with you know some great group of guys um you know how that life is man you flying all over the world flying in the worst weather all that kind of stuff so you know you you have those um experiences of you know being around different guys different teammates six months in all that stuff competing you know um I I wouldn't take it back I mean you have a favorite stop or a favorite team you played on I probably would say Obviously anytime you get a chance to play home man that's everything I do wish that uh the Phoenix thing would have would have worked out thought you were great I thought was great I do wish that would have worked out um but hey man you know for us man we we play this game to you know get compensated well and that was the biggest check on the table the business how how how would that would look you going into the Nets when you came out well that's I mean what was the team like when they when you came out when I came out they had um Steph n yet no Sam was there Sam Cassel was there Sherman Douglas right Sherman Kendall Kendall Gil Johnny Newman K Johnny Newman they all was there no Jas William wasn't there yet he wasn't there yet he wasn't there yet no so I um I was uh I was sick though yeah I was sick by I really wanted to play for the home team I was excited about that drive something you hope that that that young hoopers take from this obviously you had a ton of accolades that that were earned because it was different back then you had to earn the [ __ ] it wasn't given away on social media and with highlight tapes like you earned that had a very successful career uh you you transitioned to a successful Au program who sent a ton of kids to college the McDonald's game and the league um coaching high school basketball now what would you hope someone takes from this interview I mean just you know obviously if you a basketball player follow your dreams uh work work hard towards your goals um obviously you know get those academics in order as well um and just be you know solid people overall um clean up your social media as athletes stay on it um cuz they watching trust me they watching um and get with the guys like us you know or guys that's not like us that may have played D1 basketball any col in college basketball and go ask those guys for some advice we share we share know um stop running to the bad trainers you know and all that kind of stuff because um right now we're behind the a ball you know to the international game absolutely you know a is a rapid thing um you know we got to practice and train more Kobe was trying to get at that a few years back but we do have to practice and train more and play less games that's what they doing overseas that's the way we we got to get our kids better all right salute to everybody that's doing it and and keep doing it because our youth need us let me ask you one question what would you tell because you've been through this what would you tell a player that went that's going through an injury and trying to get back because you've been through that yeah Hey listen injuries is a part of sports right if you don't if you don't want to get injured don't play sports you know what I mean so I mean it's just what it is so when it happens Hey listen the setback happens for a reason you know you work your way to to come back and and get back into the groove and do your thing and that's in any sport in any sport cuz it's going to happen it's going to happen before we hit quick hitters favorite Kobe story you've known him for a long time um man it's crazy uh you know when I got in the league I bought a house in brenmar right which is five minutes from um from Villanova so Lura Maran is right there so I used to see his moms and stuff at the grocery store and stuff like that um obviously we you know we played Au basketball together um we had you know our our fun times with that got a chance to compete against each other you know in the league in the playoff series all of that um obviously I lived in in uh Calabasas the accident happened you know right there uh so I just felt like our connection it's always been there you know what I mean 96 class all of that but um we we had um you know in California it it uh get those fires all the time so it was one of those real bad ones so we go down to newp Point Beach with the family you know to get out of the house might lose the house whatever that's coold neck of the woods so we pull up first night we thinking about our house the whole shebang f up go to a restaurant you know get some dinner Co knows the owner he calls take care of my guy Bill probably $600 $700 I'm getting ready to pull a card out oh was taking care of it who took care of it oh Mr Bryant I'm like Mr Bryant like that man don't know I'm here how you know I'm here he was somewhere doing something and then the rest of the time we had to be there which is probably two weeks or so everywhere I went in the city I had to pay for nothing really he took everything it was it was it was so crazy to the point where like you know he he got a bunch of homes down there so he was like yo just go stay at the but my wife wanted to stay at the beach you know we had a beach front so she's like H let's just stay here but he was like you just go to the house so yeah I mean it it's stuff like that with with dude um you know I remember that situation like crazy cuz it's like it's right there you know saying try to drive over there go see what's going on but it's crazy but yeah man it's it's as you can see it's tough for me to I know y relationships though I know bro quick hitters first thing to come to mind top five New Jersey hoopers of all time put you on the spot I could be biased yeah come on man top five of all time we got so many man um I mean I I Shaq Shaq's not born here so you you I mean you a even got to be in order just give me five of them I give I give you I'm I'mma go with um I'mma go myself DJ sh was born in Texas H Shaq was born in Texas Shaq was born in Texas he grew up in Jersey though but he grew up in Jersey yeah that's what I'm saying so I'm g go I'm GNA go myself uh DJ U Wagner oh um I'mma go got to put Kyrie in there um uh I'm gonna go Jr who's gonna get that last spot oh man last spot Harington cat there's some names out there still I ain't gonna get no calls cuz I'm I'm soprano in this St I a bring the RO I ain't bring the Rob but they know I'm soprano suprano in the state they know they know that they know that um oh man um I'mma go I'm g go Isaiah Brisco I'm go I'm bris in there say the truth I'm trying to tell [ __ ] back to back bris I did it I know it that's one of them right there thanks Z appreciate you Earl Earl you aror permission New Jersey uh childhood Crush childhood Crush um man um I got in trouble for this too um CU my my wife went to Georgetown and and I had got asked this while I was in high school and um about the pr like who would I want to go to the prom with because Cole was going with brand and I said um hey Marie No I said uh um I forget her name I don't want to mess her name up from um from the uh Will Smith show from Fresh Prince from Fresh Prince um the the sister um Ali Tatiana Ali yeah taana taana Ali yeah yeah I want to mess her name she was tough bro yeah yeah that was yeah so I mean I just I just said it because um obviously you know you watching the sitcom shows I'm like she's not she's pretty but I got in trouble for that anyway you got grounded for it yeah uh craziest thing ever to offer to you in high school uh University offered me three million uh a $2 million home four different vehicles and they knew I was only going to be there for six months and I said's no way I couldn't do it God damn better than my NBA deal can you give us a school or or the coast was on what Coast what Coast was it on East Coast West Coast it was on the East Coast it was on East Coast it was on the East Coast I just I I give you this hint I I just told you um I'm I'm soprano New Jersey so okay I'll leave it at that keep it there one thing you wish he was better at uh one thing I wish I was better at um probably being handy man I'm not I'm not handy I don't know most of us not handy my wife get on me about that all the time building [ __ ] yeah like you Christmas come I'm like I'm trying to run away from Toys my wife get on me about the time that's funny shout out Rick my handyman uh song album or artist to play over your career highlights um try anything noty by Nature you know those are my brothers those my brothers so anything anything Naughty by Nature anything Jersey you know Fuji anything Jersey based that one guess on all the smoke I think you already answered it but we gonna ask you again that he brought up someone else he was close with too yeah for real five uh one guest that you would like to see on smoke but you have to help us get your answer on the show I got two I got two so I'm going go I'm going go 50 Cent you got to get up here yeah and I'mma go Sunny V Carol for the for for the basketball junk two Mafia calls yeah two Mafia calls real Tim we appreciate you man we want to make sure you know that you were always respected by your peers and and we got a lot of love for you and and it really hats off to to to your au program and and what you've been able to do and and the blessing you've been for so many young men out here just to give them hope and to see it man so continue to carry on make sure you guys get your uh drink RX purified business yeah drink RX handing your business and man God bless man thank you brother appr my real brother you you can catch us on all the smoke Productions YouTube we'll see y'all next week peace

Channel: ALL THE SMOKE

Views: 129,989

Keywords: basketball, NBA, All The Smoke, All The Smoke Productions, Matt Barnes, Stephen Jackson, KG Certified, Kevin garnett, Paul pierce, Ray Allen Bucks Highlights, Ray Allen, Kobe Stories, Best Kobe Stories, Kobe bryant, Best Kobe Highlights, All The Smoke Tim Thomas, Tim Thomas NBA, Tim Thomas Kobe, Tim Thomas NBA Highlights, Allen Iverson, Allen Iverson Highlights, best Allen Iverson stories, Steve nash, Steve Nash Stories, Untold Kobe Stories, Untold Allen Iverson Stories

Id: Wx7s2cTTpLA

Length: 63min 36sec (3816 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 21 2024